Interview with Steve Alpert

Steve Alpert is a Renaissance man; musician, jock, writer, performer, documentary film producer, and perhaps above all a painter. A high lottery number kept him from fighting in Vietnam but many years later an unplanned trip to the Vietnam Memorial Wall showed him something he had not previously known about himself; a deeply felt connection to those who serve in the military This experience triggered a series of paintings on military themes; a Blackhawk helicopter; soldiers escorting a transition case (coffin); and most especially the painting he calls Legacy. Steve donated many of his paintings and the posters created from these paintings to raise funds for organizations which help soldiers and their families; for example Fisher House, which builds housing for military families so they can be close to their convalescing children. Always evolving Steve is about to publish a book based on his own transformation and has commissioned director Wes Grantom and playwright Matt Smart to create a play based on his Legacy painting. This moving piece called The Steadfast is currently in development. See a tiny representation of that painting here.